150 Years Ago
October 28, 1868 — The republicans of Cazenovia have secured a beautiful cannon for firing salutes, and especially to rejoice over the election of Grant and Colfax. It is named “Young America.”
Hon. J.R. Fellows, ex-rebel and carpetbagger, held forth in Concert Hall, for the second time Monday evening. His principal theme was that “sacred instrument, the constitution of 1861.” It is strange what love these “conquered, but not subdued” traitors suddenly entertain for an instrument which they swore couldn’t keep them in the Union eight years ago, and which they are just as confident can’t keep them out of office now. His speech was nothing but a plaintive whine over the breaking of the constitution (as the rebels and democrats call it) by the “radicals” in their efforts to break the power of the traitors. It was sickening to loyal men. We are informed that the procession in which Mr. Fellows marched to Concert Hall was headed by a transparency bearing the words, “We vote as we fought,” which, considering the fact that Fellows served in the rebel army, was rather ambiguous. When the legal men of the country wish the constitution expounded to them they will seek some other men to do it than those who had no more respect for it but a few years ago than to trample it under foot and fire on the old flag of our land.
125 Years Ago
October 26, 1893 — Work on the new road at the head of the lake is being carried along as rapidly as possible, but is still far from being completed. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in the settling of the pile foundations which support the stone abutments of the bridge, and the final outcome is awaited with anxiety by the contractors. So far, the foundations have gone down about ten inches on one side only and seem to have been carried down by the weight of the earth, drawn in to form the new embankment, rather than by the stone work which is completed on the west side only. As the roadway is only about half finished it is something of a conundrum where the abutments will be when the weight is all on. The engineers seem confident that the settling has gone about as far as it can, however, and that the work will be a substantial and lasting improvement when completed.
100 Years Ago
October 31, 1918 — Three out of the six members of the Porter Stearns family, former residents of Cazenovia, have died of pneumonia. Among the three are the father and mother. The family lives in Buffalo, and a few days ago all six members, (the father, mother and four children) were taken ill with influenza which developed into pneumonia. All six were taken to a Buffalo hospital. On October 20, the father died at the age of 34. One the following day his daughter, Frances, aged 3 years, died. Both were buried in the Evergreen cemetery at Cazenovia on October 24th. One the 25th his wife, Alfreda Rose Stearns, died at the age of 30. She was buried in the local cemetery beside her husband and daughter on October 28th. Of the three remaining children, one is still seriously ill. All are small children.
Quite a number of years ago Mr. Stearns drove for Dr. M.R. Joy of this place, and later drove the Standard Oil wagon here. Mrs. Stearns is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Rose who lives east of the village.
In the town of Stockbridge, four mothers, who succumbed to the influenza, left twenty children.
50 Years Ago
October 30, 1968 — Grouped for Attack – Young campaign workers on the Republican Caravan October 25 cross Albany Street in Cazenovia to distribute GOP campaign buttons, stickers, and literature. The girls’ enthusiasm wasn’t dampened a whit by the rainy weather that accompanied the candidates on their whirlwind tour of Madison County. The six high school girls sporting boaters for Nixon-Agnew were, Sally Webster, Kris Lamb, Mary Jane Emhoff, Mary McCaffrey, and Sue English, all of Cazenovia, and Donna Schell of Bridgeport.
Years Ago is compiled by Erica Barnes. She is a contributing writer for The Cazenovia Republican with a degree in history and communications from Flagler College. She compiles the column from the archives of the Cazenovia Public Library. It is written in the style of the time.
